$500 lifelong learning credit for 30,000 SUSS alumni

Senior Minister of State for Education and Trade and Industry Chee Hong Tat arriving at the Singapore University of Social Sciences to launch the LifE initiative on Sept 8, 2018. PHOTO: FACEBOOK/SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

About 30,000 Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) alumni will each receive a $500 learning credit when they next enrol for new courses with the university.

The aim of the credit, which has no expiry date, is to encourage the university's alumni to enrol in new undergraduate or graduate courses, including modular ones. The credit can be used together with the university's existing alumni schemes, which provide free modular courses and fee concessions, as well as the SkillsFuture Credit scheme.

The announcement came as SUSS yesterday launched its lifelong and experiential learning brand of education, known as SUSS LifE, to cater to learners' needs before, during and after their university education.

SUSS president Cheong Hee Kiat said the initiative "embodies our open, inclusive admissions approach that offers learning journeys for individuals across a wide range of ages, backgrounds and stages of life".

He said more will be done for lifelong learners under the initiative, which will be led by the university's new College of Lifelong and Experiential Learning.

The new college will consolidate SUSS' various lifelong learning activities such as continuing education, training courses and overseas exposure programmes. It will work with the various schools to prepare students for work attachments and run professional conversion programmes, among other things.

Mr Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Education, who launched the LifE initiative at the SUSS campus, said one is never too old to learn. He said: "Lifelong learning can also deepen our skills and knowledge in different areas of work and enable us to transit into new roles as part of a globally competitive workforce."

Mr Chee also noted that there are many different pathways to learn, but "the most important thing is to have the passion to learn".

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on September 09, 2018, with the headline $500 lifelong learning credit for 30,000 SUSS alumni. Subscribe